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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24105817">Staggering Starts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamfighter/pseuds/dreamfighter'>dreamfighter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Gen, Multi, Multipairings, Prompts Welcome, really short drabbles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:27:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,620</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24105817</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamfighter/pseuds/dreamfighter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lessons from the ground floor, and then some. Being nice is really easier said than done. (short drabble collection)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aerith Gainsborough/Reno, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. the guy should always pay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/melonpaan/gifts">melonpaan</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The story of FF7 Remake is too linear to maybe have these inserts, in which case they might be considered canon divergence(s). Some unapologetic fluff.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cloud nearly knocks Tifa over when he nudges her arm away as she hands money over to the hot dog vendor. “I got this,” he tells her firmly, pulling her upright by the elbow and giving it an apologetic squeeze before hurriedly thrusting his gil into the bemused vendor’s waiting hand.</p>
<p>“But…” Tifa watches as the gil drops into the cash register with an equally bemused look on her face. “Cloud… you don’t…” </p>
<p>She meets his gaze, and he raises his eyebrows at her, a ghost of a smirk on his lips as if daring her to say it outright. She does.</p>
<p>“Have money?” she finishes, clasping her hands behind her back, the gesture endearingly shy coupled with the way she rubs the tip of one of her boots at the back of the other.</p>
<p>“Hey, I have money,” Cloud returns, a hand on his hip, his lips quirking up further when she playfully raises her eyebrows in turn. “I have money <i>now</i>,” he amends. “Thanks to you. And besides…”</p>
<p>Tifa tilts her head to one side when he suddenly stops, as if realizing that he was talking too much. “Besides…?” she prompts.</p>
<p>He looks away, adjusting the sword on his back. “The guy should always pay.”</p>
<p>Her ‘oh’ is soft, something he probably wouldn’t have heard if not for his Mako-enhanced senses. “For meals?”</p>
<p>Cloud shakes his head imperceptibly. “For dates.”</p>
<p>The vendor has to call their attention when their food is finally ready, Cloud taking both hot dogs from the man without even looking at him. </p>
<p>“This is a date,” Tifa states more than asks, blinking, pink dusting her cheeks.</p>
<p>He hands her a hot dog, clearing his throat and not quite meeting her eye. “It is now.”</p>
<p>(Later, she glances at the ice cooler to one side and shyly lets him know that she’s thirsty, too. He buys her a soda and tries not to blush at the way her face lights up, but fails when she offers him the drink, her lip gloss glinting on the end of the straw.</p>
<p>It was the sweetest drink he’d ever had in more ways than one.)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. best advice ever</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Johnny/Jessie if you squint.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, Bro,” Johnny begins conversationally.</p>
<p>“Stop calling me that,” Cloud returns flatly without missing a beat. He doesn’t even know why Johnny’s tagging along with him as he treks back to Sector 7. Didn’t he promise he’d leave? Cloud had foregone riding a Chocobo caravan, but that didn’t even stop the other man from following him.</p>
<p>“<i>Bro.</i> So like, not that it’s any of my business—”</p>
<p>“Then it probably isn’t.”</p>
<p>“But like,” Johnny plows on as if Cloud hadn’t spoken, “Are you and Jessie close?”</p>
<p>Johnny talks too much but he thankfully knows to shut up when Cloud’s facing off monsters. Cloud could even appreciate that Johnny just lets him do his thing than attempt to get in the way— </p>
<p>Wait. No. Cloud still wishes he’s not <i>there</i>.</p>
<p>“No,” he says, sliding the Buster Sword back into its harness.</p>
<p>“No, Bro?”</p>
<p>“We’re not close,” Cloud says through gritted teeth. He hates it when people force him to speak more than necessary.</p>
<p>“Oh! Cool. Cool, Cool.”</p>
<p>Johnny falls silent, and Cloud finds that he hates how unnerving the man’s silence is more than his babbling. Finally, after a few moments, he asks, “...Why?”</p>
<p>“What?” Johnny looks at him as if he’s forgotten he’s there before shaking his head vigorously. “Oh, no, ‘s nothing, Bro. She’s just. Y’know. Cool.”</p>
<p>Cloud decides it’s too much effort to roll his eyes.</p>
<p>“So like, Bro—” He bites back a growl of frustration at the nickname. “You know if she’s seeing anyone?”</p>
<p>Would it look bad if he knocks Johnny out with the hilt of his sword and just carry him over his shoulder? But no, Tifa told him to be nice.</p>
<p>Next time he sees her, he really will tell her that it’s easier said than done.</p>
<p>“No,” he practically snarls. “Why don’t you just <i>ask</i> her yourself!”</p>
<p>Blessed, eerie silence.</p>
<p>And then, “BRO!” Johnny hugs him and lets go before Cloud can process what’s happened. “You’re a genius, Bro! Best advice EVER! Jessie, baby, here I come!”</p>
<p>The other man runs off and it’s only then that Cloud notices they’d reached Sector 7 already. He shudders, rubbing his arms. Usually it was Tifa who would kill for a shower, but after that hug, he sure could use one himself...</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. in great shape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cloud/Tifa, Clerifa if you squint. I can't be the only one who wants to see Tifa dance.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Wooooo!” Aerith cheers loudly—too loudly—from beside him. “Nice moves! I love it!” </p><p>Cloud twitches, remembering being given the same praise, but this time it’s Tifa dancing with Andrea onstage and he’s torn between being glad that it’s not him and being glad that it’s Tifa. That it’s Tifa swinging her hips and twisting gracefully to the beat of the music...</p><p>He can be both, right?</p><p>Aerith leans in, cupping a hand around her mouth to be heard over the raucous cheers. “You’re right, she IS in great shape, huh?”</p><p>He’s never knocked back a glass of whiskey as fast before.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. you jealous?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aerith/Reno if you squint.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bodyguard? HAH. Mister SOLDIER First Class might know his thing, but he can’t just waltz in (crash in, through the church roof, to be exact) and steal that title from Reno.</p>
<p>Hell, Reno has been Aerith’s bodyguard for years.</p>
<p>Four years, to be exact.</p>
<p>Reno doesn’t even realize he’d been ranting out loud until Rude asks, simply, “You jealous?”</p>
<p>Reno scoffs. Him? Jealous?</p>
<p>Yeah.</p>
<p>...Nope.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. a date with you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aerith/Reno if you squint part 2</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You are NOT going on a date with Chocobo Fuzz.”</p>
<p>“Why not?”</p>
<p>“Princess, you don’t go out on dates with strangers. You live in the slums, you know what it’s like.”</p>
<p>“That’s okay, you can chaperone us.”</p>
<p>“Chap—!?“</p>
<p>“Are you choking? Here, have some water.”</p>
<p>“I AM NOT CHAPERONING YOU!”</p>
<p>“Well here I thought you just didn’t want to miss out on the fun! So you might as well come with.”</p>
<p>“That’s not what I want.”</p>
<p>“Oh? What do you want? Hmm… A date with me?”</p>
<p>“Hah. Like you’d go.”</p>
<p>“You know, Reno, sometimes all you have to do is ask.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. how to not fall like a pancake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aerith tends to splat on the ground when she falls. There is no other word for it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aerith tends to splat on the ground when she falls. There is no other word for it. She’s always thought that she had two left feet, which is why she enjoyed watching Cloud dance with Andrea onstage so much. A day of going through her work around the slums without tripping is considered a win. So really, this is no surprise to her. </p>
<p>And the others don’t say anything. Much. But after a few more splats—a couple on even ground (there were loose rocks, okay)—even Barret couldn’t resist remarking that maybe she should cast Aero on the path she’s trudging on.</p>
<p>Even <i>Red</i> had said that maybe falling to the earth like a newly hatched Chocobo was a Cetra trait.</p>
<p><i>Tifa</i> laughs when Aerith stomps her boots at <i>that</i>. But she offers, “Here, why don’t I teach you?”</p>
<p>“How to not fall like a pancake?” Cloud quips, the tiniest of smirks on his lips. With a zap from Aerith’s Fleeting Familiar and a “Cloud! Be nice!” from Tifa, his Hardedge becomes their springboard, propped on one shoulder while he sits cross-legged under the shade of a lone tree they’d come upon and decided to rest under. Red easily tucks his legs in and curls against the trunk and Barret stretches out on the grass, exulting that resting in the midst of nature was much nicer than on the plastic benches in the city he could hardly sit on “with Spiky takin’ up so much space with his damn sword all the goddamn time.”</p>
<p>Tifa tries to show Aerith how to do what she calls a “simple tuck and roll.” Simple. Right. If only she could cast Stop in intervals to see how the martial artist moved without everything being over in the blink of an eye.</p>
<p>She makes Tifa do a couple of rolls for reference purposes, then one more just to admire the other woman’s form. Then it’s her turn.</p>
<p>Cloud suffers through her teetering attempts to balance on his sword–she even felt him lower it–before she manages. Tifa just uses it to make a small jump-then-tuck-and-roll but she’s not even going to embarrass herself by attempting that. “Ready!” she calls out, sounding more confident than she felt.</p>
<p>“Okay, just remember, palms flat on the ground, tuck your chin to your chest and the rest of your body will do a natural roll,” Tifa says encouragingly, hands clasped to her chest in hope. Or maybe in prayer so Aerith wouldn’t fall flat on her face again.</p>
<p>She takes a deep breath.</p>
<p>She really only meant to kick off from the sword, but she feels herself jump, higher than she meant to. <i>Feels</i> because she can’t see because <i>shit</i>, she shut her eyes, what was she supposed to do? </p>
<p>Aerith hears both Tifa and Cloud yell her name and this is it, she’s going to be a pancake again.</p>
<p>Only the ground is much, much softer than she expected–</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” Tifa asks and Aerith raises her head from the other woman’s chest, blinking. “Are you hurt? Aerith?”</p>
<p>“I’m good,” she says, lips twitching in amusement. In the ensuing panic, it seems as if Tifa had caught her and Cloud, being Cloud, had caught Tifa. “Who’s the pancake now, Mr. Merc?” She pokes Cloud’s arm, giggling. “Now we’re stacked pancakes.”</p>
<p>“Looks cozy,” Red deadpans as he pads over, tail swishing. Then he gracefully pounces on Aerith without missing a beat.</p>
<p>She squeals. Cloud grouses, “Hey!” and Tifa’s laughing, and Aerith feels free, <i>really</i> free, for the first time since they defied their destinies.</p>
<p>She snuggles contentedly against Tifa, closing her eyes, even as she hears her warn, “Barret, you can’t, you’ll squish us–BARRET, NO!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Inspired by a comment from <a href="https://his-shining-tears.tumblr.com/post/616514464469139456/there-are-two-types-of-heroes">this Tumblr post</a> saying, "i cannot get over Aerith, the graceful flower, flopping to the ground like an angry pancake"</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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